1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an arrangement and to a method for offering a message when loading service data for a terminal device suitable for use at a data center for devices such as PC frankers and postage meter machines.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,735 and 4,122,532 disclose mail processing devices, postage meter machines with postage computers and postage calculating scales that can implement a postage calculation of the basis of a weight value and for which the service of a reloading of a rate table for postage fees is initiated by a remote data center at specific points in time.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,849 discloses the loading of various character patterns plus appertaining date on which the character pattern is approved to be printed as postmark. When the data exchange is initiated by the server of the data center, the postage meter machine must remain constantly connected, which, of course, is disadvantageous. The customer has no choice as to when the print format changes and as to whether the customer should make use of the service.
Alternatively, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,490,077 and 5,606,508 propose that the data loading be initiated by the postage meter machine on demand. The loading can be a single number or count for an accounting or printing function as well as the loading of entire service table data. The database is updated dependent on conditions (such as, for example, name and date) after the postage meter machine is turned on.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,044 discloses a franking tape dispenser system with a chip card that contains data for a postage credit and data for an individual advertizing slogan that are printed together on the franking tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,554 discloses a postage meter machine message printing system. A message is requested from a remote data center, this being printed on an envelope as advertisement of a third party. The transmission of the data for the message ensues by modem in conjunction with the reloading of a franking credit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,852,813 discloses a method and an arrangement for data input into a postage meter machine. Partial images are communicated from a data center and stored in the non-volatile memory of the postage meter machine. As needed, a partial image is selected by the user with a keyboard and positioned in order to modify the appearance of the franking imprint in predetermined areas. The informational content of a communicated partial image can enhance the areas with little informational content, whereby partial images can be superimposed. The user of the postage meter machine, of course, must be informed about the partial images that are present at a remote location and that the user has not yet loaded. The data center communicates a xe2x80x9cI have something for youxe2x80x9d message. When, on the basis of this latter message, the user then makes a decision and actuates a corresponding key, a load event for a carrier information sequences fully automatically in order to load additional service data. The carrier information can be data or information regarding a mail carrier that is merely administered by the data center. It is also provided to switch into the standby mode when there is no postal matter to frank with a postage value, The usage pause or input pause is identified in the franking mode and a standby flag is set. A time of day or some other display can, for example, be displayed in the display mode. A command for fetching an advertisement or information (carrier information) communicated during a communication can be entered with an actuation unit. A modem and a normal telephone connection already suffice for the communication.
German Published Application 198 18 708 discloses Internet usage in the context of postage meter operation. Due to the scope of the data to be communicated, the use of modern communication means and networks is desirable in view of the number of very different services, but is limited by the type of communication network that is present at the point of utilization. Moreover, an additional personal computer must be coupled with a postage meter machine in order to achieve the Internet access.
An object of the present invention is to provide an arrangement and a method that offer an unrequested message from a group of very different terminal devices, the message being capable of being optically and/or acoustically played back.
The above object is achieved in accordance with the principles of the present invention in an arrangement and a method for offering a message when loading service data to a terminal device, wherein information regarding the respective playback capabilities of a number of terminal devices is stored in a data bank, and wherein a server has access to the information in the data bank as well as access to service data from a service data source, and has access to one or more message from at least one message source. The message or messages has a playback requirement associated therewith, dependent on whether the message is composed of text, video data, running text data, audio data, etc. When service data are to be downloaded via the server to one of the terminal devices, the server establishes a communication link, via a communication system, to that terminal device. Based on the information stored in the data bank, the server determines whether the connected terminal device has playback capabilities matched to the playback requirements for the message, or a selected one of the messages. If so, the server transmits the message together with the service data to the terminal device.
The data center, which is configured as a service center for reloading devices with a credit and other service data, is inventively equipped at least with an internal xe2x80x9cnewsxe2x80x9d service that delivers messages. A connector unit sets up the communication connection to predetermined services on demand via a terminal device. A number of modems or other data transmission means adapted to respective communication systems are connected to the connector unit. The connector unit contains at least one switching assembly. A data bank is connected to a server that can undertake a selection of a message that is communicated to the terminal device, preferably together with the requested service data. The message can be supplied by one of the internal services or from external sources. The connector unit automatically sets up a connection to the terminal device. The terminal device is equipped to play back a message intended for the customer (client) during or after the communication. The selection of a message is based on the technical equipment of the terminal device for implementing a playback. The technical format of the message is based on whether the message is transmitted to a PC franker, to a postage meter machine or to some other mail processing machine.
Postage meter machines, PC frankers or other mail processing machines send request data to a service center in order to request services of various types. The communication of the data transmitted in conjunction with a requested service may take considerable time under certain circumstances. The aforementioned information can be played back by the machine during this time. This information cannot be printed on a piece of mail but only can be displayed in the display of the postage meter machine or played back acoustically. For example, specific advertising information that is not intended for printing is transmitted from the service center before, during or after the communication of the service data. The playback of this advertising information not intended for printing ensues during the transmission (on line) or after the transmission (off line).
Advertising information can be co-transmitted precisely in conjunction with a short service data transmission to the postage meter machine. The advertising information then can be displayed, preferably in the display of the postage meter machine after the transmission (off line). Data of an advertising message that are not connected with the functions of printing or franking or mail processing thus are also called and presented at a postage meter machine for the first time.
An advantage of the invention is that services of the server can be accessed at any time, independently of the franking. In addition to the very different services, information is communicated that achieves a very high recognition profile for the services of a specific mail carrier or of some other service device, and the facilitated monitoring that is thereby possible also reduces a risk of confusion with other services. Enabling the playback of image and text, running text, music, sound, noise as well as video scenes is also considered a service according to the invention. The message that is thus communicated, of course, is only intended for the device user (client) but not for the mail recipient.
Statistical data of the device-specific equipment as well as non-statistical usage data that reflect user behavior over a time span shall be considered below as properties of the various clients. The device-specific data include the device number, software version number, amount of free memory space, the display type and other data and are automatically taken into consideration in the selection of the message. The display, for example an LCD, assures that only little power is used for this purpose. Thus, displayed texts and images can be displayed given a postage meter machine with a large LCD, whereas the presentation in the form of running text given a scale with a smaller display seems more suitable.
The far larger picture screen or a large flat picture screen as well as the free memory space given a personal computer with a franking program (PC franker) enlarge the possibilities for the scope of the data to be communicated to such a device.